If they pump water from Tualatin to Hagg

[Fred]

My dad told me they planned on expanding Henry Hagg Lake. He also said they plan on pumping water from the Tualatin during the winter. I have three questions about the expansion. When they build the dam it will cover up parts of scoggins creek where the few coho that go up spawn. Will they make sure they don’t kill off that small run of salmon. Also will they build a fish ladder in the new dam. If they do is it likely salmon would use the tributaries to spawn. My second question is whether the pumping of water will have negative affects for salmon or other species. Since they plan on doing it other winter I’m guessing it won’t be a problem. Third is what do you guys think about it and what do you think will change as result of it? Also is there winter steelhead in the Tualatin?

 

[pinstriper]

Source ?

There an awful lot of facilities on that lake which are just a bit above current full capacity. A and C parking lots certainly, plus some picnic areas and buildings.

I guess I am skeptical about the scheme. Its more than raising the dam and pumping water. In the winter they have all they need to fill it up.

 

[bass]

I would guess that the filling process might take years and that they would do their best to limit the impact on any native species in the affected streams. Hagg fills up pretty quickly now so I am not sure how much extra water they would need to pump in from the Tualatin to augment the feeder streams that are there already (Scoggins and Tanner being the two biggest). The only reason to pump water in would be to get it to fill faster which is desirable but probably not a necessity.

I would kind of doubt that they would build a fish ladder for the dam. I doubt the amount of spawning grounds opened up and the strength of the run would make it worthwhile. I have never heard a peep about anyone wanting a fish ladder on the present dam. I would love for Hagg to be much bigger and for them to increase the size of (and actually enforce) the no wake zone.

I believe that there are winter steelhead in Gales creek which feeds the Tualatin. I am positive they would make sure to not impact that run.

 

[bass]

Source ?

His dad

 

[Fred]

The upper part of Scoggins Creek looks like a really nice spawning habitat compared to what they get below the current dam.

 

[pinstriper]

Wow, Thanks Fred. I guess I knew from years back that there were studies going on around the seismic safety of the existing dam, but I don't follow this stuff closely and didn't realize expansion was a part of their options.

If they are talking about acquiring properties and a second dam, I presume that would be below the current dam and into the valley. That won't add recreational space, but I suppose it is possible there might be some spawning habitat created depending on what creeks etc. feed in below the current dam.

I also imagine they will prioritize water storage if that's what this is about, as opposed to opening up new spawning locations at higher water levels that they already can't maintain, as that would manufacture a new conflict between water supply and wildlife.

 

[bass]

The upper part of Scoggins Creek looks like a really nice spawning habitat compared to what they get below the current dam.

@Fred , I don't disagree but I doubt they will make an effort to open up already closed off area. Also, the large lake level fluctuation (>30') that Hagg experiences might make a fish ladder problematic (having access at the right time of year).

Also, thanks for posting the source link! I had read about this a while back but it was always second-hand stuff. Nice to have the actual source. I checked and right now Hagg has ~53000 acre-feet at full pool. In the article, they mention adding an additional 60000 acre-feet of storage. That would more than double the surface area of Hagg. That is pretty crazy.

The other thing that is interesting is that they are talking about filling from the Tualatin every winter. In my first post, I thought that was just for the initial fill up. I assume they will block fish passage on that 7-mile pipeline. It would likely be bad if any steelhead took a wrong turn there since the odds of them finding there way back is likely kind of small (unless they reversed the flow when out-migration is occurring).

I also clicked on the mid-Willamette options link. If I read this correctly then it looks like the Hagg expansion is one possible solution for increased water supply. It is possible that one of the other solutions will be selected instead and that Hagg will not change. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

Mid-Willamette River Identified as Preferred Option
The City of Hillsboro Utilities Commission has designated the Mid-Willamette option as the preferred additional water source for the next generation of Hillsboro residents. How did they arrive at that decision? What other options were considered? What criteria were used in the decision? What happens now?

To find answers to these questions and more, please explore the updated links above.

 

[fromthelogo]

I don’t think that this is going to happen because it isn’t their preferred option. It was one of multiple options that they looked at.

 

[fromthelogo]

Sorry BASS, didn’t see that you already posted about the preferred option.

 

[Fred]

I don’t think that this is going to happen because it isn’t their preferred option. It was one of multiple options that they looked at.

Do you have any articles or something I can read that covers the other options it would be interesting to see what else they have on the table.

 

[fromthelogo]

There is a tab at the top of your link that is labeled “preferred option”. I didn’t see what the other options were but I didn’t look for them either.

 

[fromthelogo]

There is also a source evaluation tab next to the preferred option tab with a source options subtab.

 

[bass]

Sorry BASS, didn’t see that you already posted about the preferred option.

No problem, thanks for continuing to clarify everything!